HELP Buying MS3 is the tech option worth it

[Breathless]

Going to buy a MS3 and was detating if the tech option was worth it? Other then Nav and lights whats the big deal.

[captain slow]

Bose, push button start I believe.

[SWAY]

Not really anything worth the money they charge for that shit.

[zedekias]

I just think it classes the car up a notch.

I don't regret getting it at all.

And you can't forget the ever dependable rain sensing windshield wipers

[dgus429]

^^^ what sway said

[dhsieh911018]

i got 2011 with techpackage, drove my friend around the first day and he decided to get one as well. but he decided to get a base one. now he told me he should've gotten the one with teck pkg lol . i bought this car as a daily driver so those little features u get with the tech package is worth it for me. if you're buying this car to go fast, save that money and put that on mods. Ironically now i'm getting more mods than my friend who has the base model haha

Originally Posted by SWAY Not really anything worth the money they charge for that shit.

+1

[Elusivellama]

Mazdaspeed Tech Package - Self-leveling Bi-Xenon High-Intensity-Discharge (HID) headlights - Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS)

Good.

- Nagare-inspired illuminated headlight details

Dunno what the hell this means.

- Auto on/off headlights

Meh.

- Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) System

Probably the best feature of the whole list. Not a substitute for turning your head, but it's certainly going to instill higher confidence in lane changing especially if you need to change fast.

- Rain-sensing windshield wipers

Oh, I know everyone LOVES this feature.


Fucking not. Piece of shit rain-sensing sensors wipe when you don't want them to wipe, and sometimes go crazy when it's just light spitting rain.

- Clear-lens LED taillights

Looks nice from the back. But ultimately kind of useless.

- SiriusXM Satellite Radio with free 4-month subscription - Compact navigation system with full-color display

Garbage.

- Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start System with push-button start

I like this a lot. You may think "how hard can it be to turn a key", but now you don't have a key or a bunch of keys swinging from the key slot as you're driving. You can open and start the car without taking your gloves off. I sit in other cars and automatically reach to push the button (which isn't there). It's a nice feature which grows on you over time.

- Antitheft alarm system

This is not standard already? ... hm

[GODspeed7]

Originally Posted by captain slow Bose, push button start I believe.

The 2012 with tech gives you mini nav, rain sensing wipers, push button start with proximity, and auto leveling HID headlights, and blind spot monitoring. For a difference of almost $4,000 my advice is, use your free smartphone and google to find your way, when you see raindrops turn on your fucking wipers, when you get in your car take the extra 1 second to turn the key and get a little exercise by using muscles to turn that heavy ignition, buy a HID kit from DDM tuning for $55 dollars (stock headlights already level), and when changing lanes don't be an old Asian woman, turn your goddamn head and check your blind spots.
It's not worth the extra money for useless "luxury" items. The base model 2012 comes almost as fully loaded as the 2010-2011 which base is pretty damn loaded. Bose stereo, bluetooth, Sirius radio, and all the steering wheel buttons you can handle.

[RdotQelo]

I opted to go without..more moving parts, imo=higher likelihood of something breaking.

[Elusivellama]

Tech package is $2135 according to the website.

[GODspeed7]

Originally Posted by Elusivellama Tech package is $2135 according to the website.

That's what it says but after inflation and markup your talking at least 4 grand. I just did a quick search on new 2012 MS3 in a 50 mile radius from me and the prices ranged from 22,155-27,435. So you tell me what the price difference really is in real life.

[intotheice]

Nagare-inspired illuminated headlight details

Originally Posted by Elusivellama Dunno what the hell this means.

I think its this... the v-shaped silvery/black design

http://gallery.carreview.com/data/ca..._mazda3_07.jpg

If its without the tech-package, that part is just a simple reflector housing

http://buyersguide.caranddriver.com/...st0640_043.jpg

[SWAY]

Have fun replacing you windshields when that shit is cracked or breaks with the fancy rain sensor shit itll be twice as much as my old school windshield. There's one thing right there i will always love to have control of bc sometimes it rains and since i wax my shit it beads right off so no need for wipers.

The only thing i miss are my headlights coming on automatically from when i had my 08 sierra, but bc i like seeing at night i got used to turning them on myself. Fuk bose!!! Remote start is the shit i gotta say another luxury i had when i had my truck but wayyy to much as an add on.

[GODspeed7]

Originally Posted by SWAY Have fun replacing you windshields when that shit is cracked or breaks with the fancy rain sensor shit itll be twice as much as my old school windshield. There's one thing right there i will always love to have control of bc sometimes it rains and since i wax my shit it beads right off so no need for wipers. The only thing i miss are my headlights coming on automatically from when i had my 08 sierra, but bc i like seeing at night i got used to turning them on myself. Fuk bose!!! Remote start is the shit i gotta say another luxury i had when i had my truck but wayyy to much as an add on.

I couldn't agree with all of that more. +1

[Spoofmastafly]

You can turn the rain sensing wipers off..

[MS3MYK]

Originally Posted by SWAY Have fun replacing you windshields when that shit is cracked or breaks with the fancy rain sensor shit itll be twice as much as my old school windshield. There's one thing right there i will always love to have control of bc sometimes it rains and since i wax my shit it beads right off so no need for wipers. The only thing i miss are my headlights coming on automatically from when i had my 08 sierra, but bc i like seeing at night i got used to turning them on myself. Fuk bose!!! Remote start is the shit i gotta say another luxury i had when i had my truck but wayyy to much as an add on.

Because changing wiper blades is hard or expensive?? That's a pretty shitty argument.

Also like it was already stated , IT CAN BE TURNED OFF! I have mine on and its been absolutely perfect , comes on when it needs to and goes off when it needs to.

[SWAY]

Originally Posted by MS3MYK Because changing wiper blades is hard or expensive?? That's a pretty shitty argument. Also like it was already stated , IT CAN BE TURNED OFF! I have mine on and its been absolutely perfect , comes on when it needs to and goes off when it needs to.

Turn off or on doesnt change the fact that the fucking windshield will be expensive as fuck to replace bc of that sensor shit, so who give a fuck if you can turn it off or on. Read a lil more carefully next time i didnt say shit about replacing wipers. Im not saying the tech package is shit, its just not worth what they charge for all the extra. And all that extra will cost more to fix down the road, can you fix a moving headlight or a rain sensing windshield sensor when your out of warranty nope prolly not so youll pay out the ass to get it fixed.

[MS3MYK]

Originally Posted by SWAY Turn off or on doesnt change the fact that the fucking windshield will be expensive as fuck to replace bc of that sensor shit, so who give a fuck if you can turn it off or on. Read a lil more carefully next time i didnt say shit about replacing wipers.

And if the price is really that big of a difference then I would replace it with a regular one.....PROBLEM SOLVED!! Any other petty ass gripes?

[SWAY]

Originally Posted by MS3MYK And if the price is really that big of a difference then I would replace it with a regular one.....PROBLEM SOLVED!! Any other petty ass gripes?

To some its not a petty ass gripe, you wiping your ass with fucking 100$ bills playa???

[GODspeed7]

Originally Posted by MS3MYK And if the price is really that big of a difference then I would replace it with a regular one.....PROBLEM SOLVED!! Any other petty ass gripes?

You say that now until you are shelling out the ass to have it converted from the fancy package to the regular one. I am sure auto leveling headlights aren't just a different headlight housing. You are talking wiring harnesses, relays, and possibly even a slightly different ECU. Same goes for the wiper motors and sensors. Oh and when you spend all that money and can't afford to fix it the right way and you just get the "regular" stuff, you'll second guess where that extra $3-4,000 actually went.

Like the people who spend the extra $300 dollars or whatever it is for TPMS sensors for their winter tire set up because they need to know if their tires are low and they can't stand the light. REALLY?!?! Whatever did we as lazy ass Americans do before TPMS? Kick your tire. Is it hard? Ok good. Fuck TPMS. Same goes with a key versus a push button. Are people really that lazy that reaching into your pocket and exerting a little extra force to turn that key is such an inconvenience?

[MS3MYK]

Originally Posted by GODspeed7 You say that now until you are shelling out the ass to have it converted from the fancy package to the regular one. I am sure auto leveling headlights aren't just a different headlight housing. You are talking wiring harnesses, relays, and possibly even a slightly different ECU. Same goes for the wiper motors and sensors. Oh and when you spend all that money and can't afford to fix it the right way and you just get the "regular" stuff, you'll second guess where that extra $3-4,000 actually went. Like the people who spend the extra $300 dollars or whatever it is for TPMS sensors for their winter tire set up because they need to know if their tires are low and they can't stand the light. REALLY?!?! Whatever did we as lazy ass Americans do before TPMS? Kick your tire. Is it hard? Ok good. Fuck TPMS. Same goes with a key versus a push button. Are people really that lazy that reaching into your pocket and exerting a little extra force to turn that key is such an inconvenience?

can you read at all???? Where the fuck did i ever say anything about changing headlights or anything else other the the windshield??? I have the tech package and there is no way in hell I'd convert it to a sport so I have no fucking clue where you got all that.

[Croxley611]

Lol, I just noticed a rock chip in my windshield , I have to get the windshield replaced, with the rain sensor. Found a good shop that saved me almost $200 luckily. And the rain sensing whispers are a little annoying sometimes , gotta stay on top of them with the sensivity switch sometimes

[ASHMS3]

I have it and I like it, but they are proud as fuck of it.

[FLHXterp]

Just get the tech package. It's NOT an extra $4k. Beat the dealer up and be prepared to walk out if it's not the deal you want. At the end of the day the extra $20 per month is very much worth it for the features.

And for me, the auto wipers have worked flawlessly. First time I've ever had them.


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[bigriver]

OP - just decide for yourself. Really?I have it and like it. So what bfd, its still a speed 3. No one cares if you have it or not because its not anything special. I got it for the convenience of not having to get financing for aftermarket electronics and blind spot monitoring is the shit, lol.

If you get a speed, dont make any threads like "what intake should I get" or "whats the besr cbe"?

[VitViper]

I don't recall paying $4k for tech.... In fact I paid like $200 over dealer cost on my '12 MS3 w/ Tech. So I paid... what... $1800 for Tech over base? Who gives a shit. Integrated Nav + all the other gadgets is fantastic. It's not like you're paying $1800 for just Nav...

And justifying getting the base model cause replacing the front windshield is more expensive? Seriously? On top of the fact I can't even recall the last time I had to replace the front windshield on ANY of my cars... Isn't that why we have full coverage?

If you're getting those kind of cracks on the front, quit tailgating.

[GODspeed7]

Originally Posted by MS3MYK can you read at all???? Where the fuck did i ever say anything about changing headlights or anything else other the the windshield??? I have the tech package and there is no way in hell I'd convert it to a sport so I have no fucking clue where you got all that.

Your a fucking tool. I'm not going to quote you AGAIN. I am saying where does it stop? First it's replacing the "fancy" windshield for the "regular" one. Then it COULD be the headlights. All I am getting at is I don't trust all that extra stuff on a car that only offers a 36,000 mile warranty. Because when it fails, not if but when, you will act all surprised and be like "but why?!?! It's just a fucking Mazda! My headlight motors and labor shouldn't be 1200 dollars!!!" people bought this car because it was cheap and fast and comfortable. Not because it has warming testical massagers and fucking latte dispensers. Lol

[Damon]

I passed on the tech on my '12 because the keyless ignition makes you depress the brake to start. So if you evr kill the car while driving you can't simply keep rolling and start it, you must hit the brakes and start that way.

[FLHXterp]

Originally Posted by Damon I passed on the tech on my '12 because the keyless ignition makes you depress the brake to start. So if you evr kill the car while driving you can't simply keep rolling and start it, you must hit the brakes and start that way.

Not correct. It requires you to press the clutch not brake.



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[Travis]

Originally Posted by Damon I passed on the tech on my '12 because the keyless ignition makes you depress the brake to start. So if you evr kill the car while driving you can't simply keep rolling and start it, you must hit the brakes and start that way.

That's Gay. I bet it confuses drunk drivers though.


I also passed up on the tech. I would love led tail lights but honestly I wouldve night shaded them anyways. :/ I've also heard of complications when upgrading the Bose sound system. I also dont like that keyless start crap, my girlfriend has that in her Prius and we loose that key in her purse daily.

You can't beat the feeling of turning the key and feeling the car start. Especially when you got a few motor mounts upgraded.


Good luck with your purchase. Either way it's hard to be disappointed with the ms3.

[FLHXterp]

Originally Posted by Travis That's Gay. I bet it confuses drunk drivers though. I also passed up on the tech. I would love led tail lights but honestly I wouldve night shaded them anyways. :/ I've also heard of complications when upgrading the Bose sound system. I also dont like that keyless start crap, my girlfriend has that in her Prius and we loose that key in her purse daily. You can't beat the feeling of turning the key and feeling the car start. Especially when you got a few motor mounts upgraded. Good luck with your purchase. Either way it's hard to be disappointed with the ms3.

It's the clutch not brake, which I bet you press anyway.

Also, unless you carry a purse you probably wouldn't lose you keys in one.


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[GODspeed7]

Originally Posted by Damon I passed on the tech on my '12 because the keyless ignition makes you depress the brake to start. So if you evr kill the car while driving you can't simply keep rolling and start it, you must hit the brakes and start that way.

Plus forgive me if I am wrong but if you kill the car in motion I do believe you have to come to a complete stop before it will let you start it again anyway. Or maybe I am just an idiot and it only seems that way to me. Oh well.

Originally Posted by Travis That's Gay. I bet it confuses drunk drivers though. I also passed up on the tech. I would love led tail lights but honestly I wouldve night shaded them anyways. :/ I've also heard of complications when upgrading the Bose sound system. I also dont like that keyless start crap, my girlfriend has that in her Prius and we loose that key in her purse daily. You can't beat the feeling of turning the key and feeling the car start. Especially when you got a few motor mounts upgraded. Good luck with your purchase. Either way it's hard to be disappointed with the ms3.

Another thing you don't need to "find" the key for our cars. As long as you know it's in said purse and you have said purse with you, the car will start, lock, and unlock just fine. The fob doesn't have to be plugged in to anything. It's all proximity.

[mroclimbr]

Originally Posted by SWAY Have fun replacing you windshields when that shit is cracked or breaks with the fancy rain sensor shit itll be twice as much as my old school windshield. There's one thing right there i will always love to have control of bc sometimes it rains and since i wax my shit it beads right off so no need for wipers. The only thing i miss are my headlights coming on automatically from when i had my 08 sierra, but bc i like seeing at night i got used to turning them on myself. Fuk bose!!! Remote start is the shit i gotta say another luxury i had when i had my truck but wayyy to much as an add on.

I have full glass. It better not make a shits worth of difference when mine breaks.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

The dealer I picked mine up from this past week didn't have Liquid Silver (my favorite color) w/ tech. I pulled the trigger anyway. To be honest the biggest thing I'm missing is the new Blind Spot Monitoring. I think that is a slick feature. The HID headlights, and LED tails are a nice touch too but retrofittable (I believe). Not a deal breaker.

The 2012 non-techs apparently come with the Bose System stock, I even have the sub-mounted subwoofer. To be honest I don't like the black button on the handles and rear passenger-side light that come with the tech package. I know it's seems so insignificant but silly stuff like that stands out to me.

Eitehr way I think the tech package is a good buy considering "everything" you get with it. Sure you can go though it and pick it apart piece by piece and explain why you wouldn't "need" it. Truth be told if I had the option to get tech when I did I may have considered it, however I'm not crying a river because I "missed out". I didn't buy this car for technology. I have plenty of that kind of stuff in my 2011 335.

[BLK_MS3]

Nothing was really worth it to me, so I passed. If the nav was bigger it might have been a different story.

[SWAY]

Originally Posted by mroclimbr I have full glass. It better not make a shits worth of difference when mine breaks.

Huh

[MammaFreed3]

Push button start/keyless entry and Bose is, to me, the best features of the tech package.

i'm not electronically inclined and if i got a base model, i'd deal with the cheesy sound system before dumping hundreds into a sound system and then paying someone to install it all. I have a 2010 w/ tech and I love the Bose system.

as for the keyless features, i like being able to leave the "keys" in my pocket and just go in and out of it, start/stopping it without having to turn any keys.

the nav is worthless, get a GPS for $100 at Sam's Club for when you actually need one.

[Nataphen]

Originally Posted by GODspeed7 Same goes with a key versus a push button. Are people really that lazy that reaching into your pocket and exerting a little extra force to turn that key is such an inconvenience?

Yes.

<Has keyless go on both cars.

[Jake5713]

Originally Posted by MammaFreed3 Push button start/keyless entry and Bose is, to me, the best features of the tech package. i'm not electronically inclined and if i got a base model, i'd deal with the cheesy sound system before dumping hundreds into a sound system and then paying someone to install it all. I have a 2010 w/ tech and I love the Bose system. as for the keyless features, i like being able to leave the "keys" in my pocket and just go in and out of it, start/stopping it without having to turn any keys. the nav is worthless, get a GPS for $100 at Sam's Club for when you actually need one.

I don't mind the small nav screen
Maybe the rest of you fuckers are blind


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=44.739795,-93.107801
-Jake

[RdotQelo]

I still use mapquest...